JESUS AND THE IMPOSSIBLE
By: Frank Tunstall, D. Min.
THINK ABOUT IT: Martha’s faith had largely moved her out of her grief when she stood side by side with Jesus on the outskirts of Bethany. Faith in Jesus Christ and His promises of eternal life are the cure for grief. At this point Martha became an evangelist. She went back into town, called her sister aside and told her, “The teacher is here and is asking for you!”
The heartbeat of evangelism is telling people just that message.
Martha is widely acclaimed as the server while Mary is viewed as the more spiritual of the two sisters. But in the story of Lazarus’ resurrection, Martha is the woman of faith and the evangelist who brought her sister back to Jesus. Martha’s faith blossomed first.
When Mary heard Jesus was asking to see her, she got up quickly and went to Him.
When Mary reached Jesus, she fell at His feet and said, “Lord if you had been here my brother would not have died.” Mary was still in heavy grief.
When Jesus saw Mary and the mourners wailing, He asked, “Where have you laid him?” Jesus was deeply moved in spirit and troubled.
“Come and see, Lord,” they replied.
“Jesus wept.”
THINK ABOUT IT, dear reader. Jesus is touched with the feelings of our infirmities. We serve a God who cares enough about His children to weep with us in our sorrow.
“Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance.”
“Take away the stone,” Jesus said.
Martha questioned Jesus’ order: “But Lord, by this time there is a bad odor. He has been there four days.”
“Did I not tell you,” Jesus responded, “If you believed you would see the glory of God?”
While the stone was being moved, Jesus began to pray. “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe You sent Me.”
When Jesus ended His short prayer, “He called out in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!”
We can only wish we had been standing there to see the stunned looks on the faces of the people milling around the tomb when Lazarus walked out, bound in his grave clothes. The wonder of it all would have been evident in their bulging eyes, their dropped jaws, and in their stunned faces, and for a few, their fleeing feet!
Would you have gone into shock too? When you collected your senses enough to begin to absorb what was happening, would you have started applauding Lazarus? What about freely worshipping Jesus?
At that command everyone in the crowd of mourners surely gasped and then went silent, wondering what Jesus would say next. No spiritual leader or prophet had ever given that kind of command. Some of the mourners may have been holding their breath. Everybody’s eyes were focused on the mouth of that cave. A few critics there were saying things like, why didn’t Jesus heal Lazarus? Others were thinking Lazarus will never climb His way up, especially in grave cloths. Dead for four days – no way.
Jesus had a large audience to witness the event (John 11:45).
I wonder if Martha was the only person there who had some faith.
Then Lazarus’ head appeared and a loud gasp came from the large crowd of mourners who were present (John 11:45). Some surely started laughing. Others started crying. A few probably started running! Nobody minded the stench – not now!
Your writer had the privilege about fifty-five years ago to visit Lazarus’ tomb and walk down into it. The tomb is more like a cave. Stone cutters had crudely chiseled out stone steps that could easily trip a climber going up or down. I counted the steps – twenty-four is my recollection, and admit I felt very insecure on those steps with poor lighting, no guard rails, and uneven steps.
I have often wondered how sure-footed a person would need to be going down and then back up.
If the steps are that uneven, how did Lazarus climb up and walk out, wrapped in grave clothes, and all the more with his face, eyes and head wrapped tightly? Lazarus, in effect, was blind as he went down the steps.
The memory is vivid. I was a young seminary student at ORU and did not walk all the way up or down; I felt too uneasy.
When Lazarus reached the top Jesus gave another order, “Loose him and let him go.”
Lazarus was standing there beside his Messiah in grave clothes made of strips of linen and a cloth around his face (John 11:43).
It can only be considered a miracle of the highest proportions, the greatest miracle in Jesus’ ministry leading up to His own death and resurrection. Jesus had done the impossible and it set the stage for His crucifixion and resurrection.
